Pilots and Their Secrets
by ComeAndGoByBubble
Summary: Colette's dream of flying the plane is fulfilled, as Dean begins to fall for her...


**This is my first fanfiction ever, so please be kind! :) **

**This is based on scenes from episode 1x07 of ABC's new drama, _Pan Am_. Probably a one-short but may consider writing more...**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own _Pan Am_. If I did, I would not allow it to be cancelled, as apparently it is currently close to being so.**

**Please note: I have taken the dialogue (with the exception of the opening part between Laura and Colette) directly from the episode, so I don't take credit for that. What I wanted to do was to build up the characters' thoughts and feelings (particularly Dean's) during that scene in the cockpit around the dialogue.**

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><p>"Colette?"<p>

Colette turned to see a very frazzled-looking Laura pouring glasses of champagne at a rapid pace, the alcohol sloshing everywhere in her haste. "Could you please take the boys their coffee? I'm up to my ears with these sailors."

"Sure," Colette opened a cupboard and pulled out three coffee cups.

"Maybe we should ban bachelor parties on board in future."

"Or sailors!" Colette quipped, pouring the coffee. "What on earth are they doing now? They're awfully noisy. " The sailors were enjoying a rather raucous rendition of a particularly bawdy song.

Laura giggled, "Well, one of them asked Kate to strip earlier. She refused, of course, but she lent him her jacket and hat so that he could entertain the groom-to-be himself!"

Colette laughed, "I bet _that's_ a sight for sore eyes." She picked up a tray. "Well, I'd better take in the boys' coffee – it wouldn't do to have grumpy pilots flying the plane!"

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><p>"What the hell is going on out there?" Ted demanded, as Colette entered the cockpit.<p>

"I don't even want to know," Dean replied. He smiled at Colette in greeting. She approached him, tray in hand.

"Oh it's nothing," she said breezily, handing Dean a cup, "Kate's just taking off her clothes to entertain the men." The effect was instantaneous – all three men turned to face her, mouths agape. Colette looked at them in amusement. She could swear that Sanjeev was beginning to drool. Men!

"And why would she do that?" Ted asked in a strangled tone.

Colette shrugged, "feeling patriotic, I guess."

There was a long pause as this information, with all of its accompanying mental images, sunk in. Dean merely raised his eyebrows and shook his head with a slight smirk, but Ted and Sanjeev were practically frozen in shock.

Ted recovered himself, and cleared his throat, "What's a guy gotta do to get a decent cup of coffee round here?" He got up and headed for the door, raising a hand to stop Colette as she gestured to her tray of coffee. "Oh don't bother Colette, I'll get my own." He left hurriedly, as Colette nodded knowingly, and turned to look at Sanjeev with a questioning expression.

Sanjeev squirmed under her gaze. "Uh…I…um…like coffee too…" He trailed off as Colette raised an eyebrow. He hastily followed Ted out of the cockpit.

"Sure run along boys, Dean called out after them, "I'll just stay here with the plane."

Colette came over and leant on the back of Ted's chair. "Oh no need to be jealous – I said Kate was taking her clothes off…I didn't say who was putting them on."

Dean looked disgusted. "Urgh! Sailors!"

"If you wanted a quick look, I'd be happy to take over."

"No thank you, I'm happy right where I am." With you, he added silently, surprised as the unsaid words popped into his head.

"That's too bad…it's always been a dream of mine to fly."

Dean glanced up at her, taking in her expression: there was a challenge in her dark eyes; she tried to appear unaffected – her request was casually made, but the slight tint of pink on her cheeks betrayed a fervent hope that he would allow it to be fulfilled. Of course to let her take the controls was unthinkable, breaking so many rules that there was no point even considering it, not even for a second. And yet... surely letting her have a go for a minute or two wouldn't hurt? After all, who would know? Only the two of them, and the idea of having a shared secret between them was irresistible. His decision was made.

"Excuse me First Officer Valois, could you please take your seat."

Colette looked thrilled. Dean put a hand under her elbow to help her into Ted's seat. He watched her as she gazed around her from her new pilot's perspective, running her hands over the arms of the chair in disbelief.

"And it's actually…it's a grey area here." Dean said in a playful, feigned serious tone, to ease the slight tension he could feel between them. He needed to keep talking. "The singing guardians of democracy back there are not technically paying passengers. And they're sworn to protect your right to the pursuit of happiness."

"Oh this would make me very happy." Colette said.

Dean had had stewardesses in the past claiming a wish to fly, but it had always been said during a course of flirtation – as if they thought that by saying it they were more likely to get his attention. Colette was the first person who had said it so emphatically, so candidly. The honest desire in her eyes as she spoke made him quite breathless, as his heart thumped unbidden.

"Yeah?" he said quietly.

"Yeah," she nodded.

They smiled at each other for a moment, before Dean looked away. "Both hands on the yoke." He instructed.

"The yoke?" she echoed, confused.

"The…uh… steering wheel."

"Right you are, Captain." Nervously, she took hold of the yoke, gripping tightly, her breath coming quickly in anticipation. She looked over at Dean as he lifted his hands away from his own yoke. She gasped, "I'm flying!"

Dean laughed. "A dream comes true."

"I'm flying!" She repeated, her smile widening as the reality of it hit her. She was flying the plane by herself! Dean watched her as heartfelt joy transformed her features. It made him almost giddy with elation to know that it was he who had made her so happy. She looked so beautiful, so alive, her eyes shining, her cheeks flushed with pleasure. It was amazing what a simple gift could do: most girls wanted chocolates or trinkets, but Colette was different. All she wanted was to fly, free as a bird.

When Colette stepped out of the cockpit a few minutes later, she was immediately accosted by Maggie.

"Whatever happened in there?" Maggie asked, one eyebrow arched, eyes raking over Colette's glowing cheeks and sparkling eyes.

"Nothing, nothing at all." Colette stammered, her blush deepening. She strode away quickly, keen to escape from Maggie's scrutinising gaze…

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><p>"This is getting out of hand! It's like feeding time at the zoo!" Kate exclaimed as she threw two aspirin into a glass of water. The party of sailors had become intensely rowdy in the last hour or so, and the girls were shattered.<p>

"Can you imagine being trapped underwater with them for six months?" Colette replied.

"I'd load myself into a torpedo tube and launch." Maggie said, coffee cup in hand, nursing a fearsome headache.

"That bad huh?" Dean smirked, appearing out of the cockpit and helping himself to a cup of coffee.

"My kingdom for a sedative," Maggie rolled her eyes.

"How snockered are they?"

"What are you thinking?" Colette asked him, voicing all four girls' thoughts: all of them were desperate for a solution, any solution. Anything for some peace and quiet.

"Nifty little pilot trick: I'm gonna decrease the cabin pressure by manually raising the cabin altitude." Dean replied.

"I love Greek. Beautiful language," Maggie said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Dean grinned. "It makes boozy passengers fall asleep." He explained. "It's why pilots don't drink on game day."

"Pilots and their secrets." Maggie said, looking hard at Dean, before turning away in search of another cup of revitalising coffee.

At Maggie's words, Dean met Colette's eyes. His time with her earlier had made him see her in a new light. Of course, any kind of romantic relationship between them would be strictly out of bounds and should not be contemplated. Ever. But that fact hadn't stopped him from reliving their time together long after she had left the cockpit: her every word, her every glance. Her dark, rich glossy hair, the way it curved to frame her face. Her radiant smile, the laughter in her eyes. Oh yes, he had a secret, and her name was Colette.

**I hope you enjoyed my story. Please feel free to leave a review! :)**


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